As is known, barricades are often used at construction or work sites to mark or surround an area and to warn vehicular or pedestrian traffic of possible danger. In addition, barricades are also used for crowd control to prevent pedestrian traffic from entering a predetermined area, such as a parade route or the like. By way of example, Giannelli, U.S. Pat. No. 5,762,444, discloses an A-frame barricade that has the capability of being adjusted to a desired length. The barricade includes a pair of A-frame leg support members and a generally elongate beam assembly which connects the leg support members. The beam assembly includes two beam members which are slidably joined by interlocking elements to enable adjustment of the length of the barricade.
While functional for its intended purpose, the A-frame barricade disclosed in the Giannelli '444 patent has certain limitations. More specifically, in order to prevent pedestrian traffic from entering a large protected area, such as a street, a number of A-frame barricades must be place end to end to isolate the area from the crowds. However, in the Giannelli '444 patent, no mechanism is provided for tying adjacent A-frame barricades together. Consequently, in order to access the protected area, individuals simply push the adjacent A-frame barricades apart and walk therebetween. As such, it is highly desirable to provide a barricade that interlocks adjacent supports to prevent crowds from simply pushing the supports apart and walking therepast.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a barricade that interlocks adjacent supports to prevent crowds from simply pushing the supports apart and walking therepast.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a barricade that interlocks adjacent supports to prevent crowds from simply pushing the supports apart and walking therepast that is simple to assemble and disassemble.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a barricade that interlocks adjacent supports to prevent crowds from simply pushing the supports apart and walking therepast that is inexpensive to manufacture and durable.
In accordance with the present invention, a barricade is provided for crowd control. The barricade includes a first frame support member having an upper end, a lower end, an upper opening adapted for receiving an end of a first upper beam therein and a lower opening. A second frame support member is at an acute angle to the first support frame member and has an upper end, a lower end adjacent the lower end of the first frame support member, an upper opening adapted for receiving an end of a second upper beam therein and a lower opening. The lower opening in the second frame support member is axially aligned with the lower opening in the first frame support member.
A lower beam has a first end receivable in the lower opening of the first frame support member and a second end receivable in the lower opening of the second frame support member. A first retaining member is operatively connectable to the first end of the lower beam for retaining the lower beam in the lower opening of the first frame support member. The lower beam may also include a first notch adjacent the first end thereof. The first retaining member is receivable in the first notch to retain the lower beam in the lower opening of the first frame support member. A second retaining member may be operatively connectable to the second end of the lower beam for retaining the lower beam in the lower opening of the second frame support member.
It is contemplated for the lower opening in the first frame support member to lie in a first plane and for the lower opening in the second frame support member to lie in a second plane. The second plane is at an acute angle to the first plane. In addition, the upper and lower openings in the first frame support member lie in a common plane.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a barricade is provided for crowd control. The barricade includes first and second frame support members. Each frame support member lies in corresponding plane and has an upper end, a lower end, an upper opening and a lower opening. A lower beam has a first end receivable in the lower opening of the first frame support member and a second end receivable in the lower opening of the second frame support member. The plane of first frame support member is at an acute angle to the plane of the second frame support member.
A first upper beam is receivable in the upper opening of the first frame support member and a second upper beam is receivable in the upper opening of the second frame support member. A first retaining member is operatively connectable to the lower beam for retaining the lower beam in the lower opening of the first frame support member. A second retaining member is operatively connectable to the second end of the lower beam for retaining the lower beam in the lower opening of the second frame support member. The lower beam may include a first notch adjacent the first end thereof for receiving the first retaining member and a second notch adjacent the second end thereof for receiving the second retaining member. The first and second notches diverge from each other and the upper and lower openings in the first frame support member lie in a common plane.
In accordance with a still further aspect of the present invention, a barricade is provided for crowd control. The barricade includes a first frame support member having an upper end, a lower end, an upper opening and a lower opening. A second frame support member is at an acute angle to the first frame support member and has an upper end, a lower end, an upper opening and a lower opening. The lower opening in the second frame support member is axially aligned with the lower opening in the first frame support member. A lower beam has a first end receivable in the lower opening of the first frame support member and a second end receivable in the lower opening of the second frame support member. A first retaining member is operatively connectable to the first end of the lower beam for retaining the lower beam in the lower opening of the first frame support member. A second retaining member is operatively connectable to the second end of the lower beam for retaining the lower beam in the lower opening of the second frame support member.
A first upper beam receivable in the upper opening of the first frame support member and a second upper beam receivable in the upper opening of the second frame support member. The lower beam may include a first notch adjacent the first end thereof. The first retaining member is receivable in the first notch to retain the lower beam in the lower opening of the first frame support member. In addition, the first retaining member may include a first notch. The first notch of the first retaining member forms a mating relationship with the first notch in the lower beam with the first retaining member received in the first notch of the lower beam. Similarly, the lower beam may include a second notch adjacent the second end thereof. The second retaining member is receivable in the second notch to retain the lower beam in the lower opening of the second frame support member.